Sat 29 Mar 2025, 15:00
The Eccles 2XV, promoted into Halbro NWIRUL Division 1 this season, have enjoyed a very successful campaign and the possibility of a top 3 finish would be an admirable achievement for the team who've had to cope with regular disruptions to their line up since September, with players called up to reinforce the 1XV field hospital. On Saturday the 2XVs had the opportunity to top off their season with Cup Semi Final victory over unbeaten League leaders Stockport 2XV.
Stockport kicked off and were quick to show why they’ve claimed home and away (35-21 10-31) league wins over Eccles this season, piling on the pressure, committing a high tackle within seconds and swarming the home team to prevent any territory gains beyond the 22 from the first dozen breakdowns. A penalty gave Eccles a line out on the halfway but possession was lost through some careless play giving the Stockport forwards the chance to smash through the Eccles line. Read, Balogun and Dube combined in an attempt to counter attack but possession was regained at the breakdown by the Stockport #8. The visitors kicked to touch and from the line out spread play across the pitch, the lightening fast #13 slipped out of Ackers-Johnson's grasp on the 22 line and he raced away to score the first points. This opening phase of play set the pattern for the first half with Stockport efficient and ruthless and Eccles disorganised and regularly punished for their slow ruck speed.
5’ TRY Stockport Conv. 0-7
At the restart Eccles won a scrum outside the Stockport 22 followed by a penalty which was kicked to the corner for a line out but the ball was spilled and lost. Stockport kicked play back to the halfway line and from a scrum here the #8 charged to the 22 with the ball, the #13 carried the attack closer to the posts and a penalty was kicked to the corner for a line out. Once again the Stockport #8 proved to be difficult to stop and though his attempt was repelled the big second row scored with the next attempt. Converted by #10.
12' TRY Stockport Conv. 0-14.
Eccles had good possession of the ball from the restart and a line out caught by Mulligan set up a promising attack on the 22 line but a wild pass from Harrison out to the wing prevented any progress. Harrison compounded his error with a high tackle a few minutes later. Stockport kicked the penalty from their half to the Eccles 22 for the line out where the #8 charged through the line and was unfortunate when his offload was knocked on by the #9 to deny a score. From the 5m scrum on the right Eccles were unable to escape their red zone with Balogun judged to put his foot in touch in the corner inviting the Stockport forwards to pummel the Eccles defence from the line out. After admirable effort was expended in keeping the visitors out the big second row smashed through to score his second try of the game. Converted by #10.
20’ TRY Stockport Conv. 0-21
With 20 minutes played Eccles were struggling to get a foothold in the game with a high error count contributing to the problems they were facing from the effective kicking from the Stockport #10 and the strong ball carrying of the #8. Will Parkinson ran the ball from deep leading to a midfield penalty for Eccles but Cullen failed to find touch with his kick, and from this error Stockport accuratly returned the ball with the boot, missjudged by Parkinson, to bounce out near the corner flag. A quick line out by the #9 gave the Stockport #8 the opportunity to score against the snoozing Eccles defence. Converted by the #10 with another accurate kick.
24’ TRY Stockport Conv. 0-28
Mistakes continued to plague Eccles. At the restart Cullen's kick into the wind did not make the distance. A sequence of scrums followed with a brief period of possession for Eccles curtailed by an accidental offside. More scrums followed and some good passing along the Eccles back line looked to have resulted in a break through by Balogun until a slow clear out at the ruck lost possession. Eccles continued to struggle in making the most of thier penalties, with kicks regualrly failing to find touch, however the quick tap was more successful and a strong ball carry from Vidal to within 10m set up a neat offload to Jones who broke through but knocked on beofre he could score. Stockport escaped from their goal line through the speed of their #13 who carried play deep into Eccles territory. With a few minutes remaining before the interval a period of chaotic play for both teams saw Eccles secure the ball from a line out maul and with a doozen phases eventally work their way into the Stockport 22 before the final pass out wide was dropped. The ball kicked clear deep into the Eccles half. Evans did well to regather possession but the Stockport #14 was quick to steal the ball and the visitors swiftly moved play across the pitch, where the #13 once again used his pace to score the fifth try for Stockport in a first half dominated by the visitors.
40’ TRY Stockport 0-33
HT 0-33
Eccles made a good start to the second half putting pressure on Stockport to run the ball out of their 22 with Matt Parkinson winning possession with an excellent jackal. The penalty was kicked for a line out inside the 22 but Eccles were unable to make any impression and lost possession as a result of a slow clear out at the ruck. The 10# kicked to touch 20m inside Eccles territory. From this line out Stockport worked the ball across the pitch and the #13 cut through the Eccles defence to score under the posts for his third try and Stockport’s sixth.
44’ TRY Stockport Conv 0-40
Following the restart, Read made a strong carry into the heart of the Stockport defence, Dube was able to rip possession back to set up an attack into the 22. With a dozen phases and good persistence, the breakthrough eventually came though good footwork from Vidal who evaded the challenge and charged for the goal line, tackled 1m short he offloaded inside to Balogun in close support who dotted down behind the posts.
50’ TRY ECCLES (Balogun) Conv 7-40
At the restart, Parkinson spilled the ball just outside the 22 inviting Stockport to attack on the right where the #13 sped through the line and was stopped by a high tackle. From the penalty, the Eccles defence held firm on the goal line against the Stockport forwards, the loose ball was scrambled away and the Stockport #12 was shown yellow for an inexplicable barge and then a tip tackle on Read off the ball.
Eccles attmepted to force the pace of the game to chaotic pandemonium but were unable to profit during the period of the bin. A break from Balogun, followed by a break from Mulligan through the middle puts Eccles on the front foot but once again the ball was lost inside the 22 through a combination of isolated ball carrying, slow arriving support and the Stockport #8’s expert jackal. With 16 minutes to play an Eccles penalty moved play back into the Stockport 22. From the line out, Gelling, now distributing the ball from the ruck at a quickening pace, increased the speed of the attack and a tiring Stockport began to commit more errors inside their red zone. From an Eccles penalty in front of the posts a quick tap was passed to Higginbottom who charged towards the line at close range, bounced the first challenger and crashed over the line to score, at the side of the sticks.
66’ TRY ECCLES (Higginbottom) Conv. 14-40
From the restart, Eccles ran the ball out from their 22, with a break initiated by Read smashing through in the middle and making good yards to the half way line where, quick ball from Gelling at the breakdown set up a move of slick offloading between forwards Jones, Mulligan, Dube and Eaton on the right to take the game within a meter of the goal line. Footwork from Ackers Johnson kept the attack alive and expansive passing from Gelling looked to have opened up the defence but Higginbottom’s attempt to score was judged to be held up. A quick tap from Gelling was passed to Mulligan who crashed over from close range to score.
71’ TRY ECCLES (Mulligan) Conv. 21-40
Following the restart Stockport won a penalty in midfield for holding on which was kicked to the 22 for a line out and with good passing the #9 stretched the defence and then picked up quickly from a breakdown in front of the posts to shoot through a gap and score. Converted by #10.
74’ TRY Stockport. Conv. 21-47
Eccles responded with a kick deep into Stockport territory, leading to a sequence of penalties 10m from the goal line. Hughes attempted to wrestle his way to the posts but was penalised for holding on. However, the kick was caught cleanly by Ackers-Johnson on the wing just outside the 22 and he rode the tackles to dot down in the corner. Conversion missed.
77’ TRY ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson) 26-47.
Eccles finished the game attacking into the Stockport 22 but a quick tap penalty by Read, eager to run the ball before his team mates were in position to support his endeavour was halted and turned over, once again, at the breakdown by the Stockport #8 who, alongside his #13 team mate, gave a match winning performance. This action concluded the contest. Stockport progressed to the Final where they'll meet the winner of Sandbach 2XV vs Sale 2XV .
FT 26-47
Eccles Team 1 Cameron Higginbottom# 2 Ross Eaton# 3 Andy Laidlaw 4 Sion Vidal 5 Michael Jones# 6 Louis Evans, 7 Max Mulligan# 8 Vusi Dube. 9 Tim Cullen# 10 Scott Harrison. 11 Tim Balogun# 12 Byron Read 13 Matt Parkinson# 14 Gavin Ackers Johnson. 15 Will Parkinson#. Replacements 16 Dale Hughes. 17 18 Paddy Gelling.
